Means for and method of securing the ends of strip material to tubular members



2,968,854 METHOD OF SECURING THE ENDS OF Jan. 24, 1 R. L. PANICCZI MEANS FOR AND STRIP MATERIAL TQ TUBULAR MEMBERS Filed June 27. 1958 INVENTOR.

United Saws ParemO MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF SECURING THE ENDS OF STRIP MATERIAL TO TUBULAR Richard L. Pauicci, Northampton, Mass, assignor to Hampden Specialty Products, Inc., Easthampton,

Filed June 27, 1958, Ser. No. 744,981

' i "1 Claim. (Cl. 24-265) This invention relates tov improvements in. furniture and is directed more particularly to means for and methods of securing the ends of strip material to the frame The ends of the strip material, according to the prior art, have been secured oraffixed to the tubular members by ,various and numerous methods and means but such has been time consuming and therefor costly, and in use, the ends of the strips of material too frequently become loosened or ruptured and therefor fail as a supporting medium.

The principal objects of this invention are directed to the provision of a means and method of securing the ends of strip material to the tubular frame members of the components of furniture in such a manner as to insure a permanent connection.

The novel features of the invention, in a general way, include a device which is easily and readily secured to the end portion of a strip of material of predetermined length, and said devices, at opposite ends of a strip, are connected to the opposite tubular members of a component so that the strip material is maintained in taut supporting condition.

The nature of the device of the invention is such that the end of strip material is gripped against displacement, and the device is connected or attached to a tubular member easily and readily and without the necessity of screws, bolts or the like, all to the end that economy in manufacture results, and the strip material may function as a support without the likelihood of detachment.

The novel features of the invention are adapted for broad application and may be used with strips of various material such as fabric webbing of all kinds.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention, and in disclosing same reference will be made to webbing which will include strips of various fabrics, Saran, leatherlike material, plastics, and the like.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a device for securing to the end of webbing, and embodies the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a tubular element with which the devices of Figs. 1 and 2 are connectable;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the device of Fig. 1 secured to the end of a length of webbing and connected to a tubular clement;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through a device such as shown in Fig. 1; and

, 2,968,854 Patented Jan. 24, 1961 Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view through a device such as that of Fig. l to illustrate a feature of the invention. Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the novel features of the invention will be described in detail. j' The device 2 shown in Fig. 1 will be referred to as a clip and is formed in any suitable manner from relatively thin and stiff metal to have an inner leaf 4 and an outer leaf 6. The clip is formed with the leaves in a relatively separated or open position, as shown, but is bendable at 8 for closing the leaves onto the end portion of a length of webbing so that the said webbing is securely clamped or gripped by the clamp.

The leaves of the clip may be closed into web gripping relation, with the webbing therebetween in any suitable manner.

The inner leaf 40f the clip is transversely curved, as shown, to rather closely approximate the curvature of the tubular member towhich the clip is to be connected.

The outer longitudinal edge of the outer leaf 6 of the clip 2 is formed with an inwardly curving lip 10 which may be of any desired proportions. A hook portion or tab 12 is struck up from the inner leaf 4, and is suitably spaced from the plane of the inner side of said inner leaf. Said hook 12 is directed towards the longitudinal jointure 8 of the leaves 4 and 6.

A tubular member 14, to which the clip 2 is to be connected, is provided with an elongated slot 16 suitable for receiving the hook 12 of said clip.

the leaves 4 and 6 of the clip and the said leaves are pressed together by any suitable means so that the web portion W is securely and rigidly gripped or clamped therebetween by the clip.

With the clip 2 secured to the end portion W of the web W, the hook 12 of said clip is inserted through the slot 16 of the tubing 14, with the inner leaf 4 of the clip bearing against the tubing 14, as in Fig. 4.

The web W from the longitudinal edges of the leaves of the clip is brought around so that a portion W" thereof overlies the outer leaf 6 of the clip, and is wrapped around the tubing 14, as in said Fig. 4.

With the opposite ends of the web secured by clips to opposite tubular members, a strain or weight on the web is resisted by engagement of the book 12 with the edge of the slot 16 of the tubing.

Thus the end of the web is easily and readily secured to the tubing without the necessity of fastening means such as screws and grommets, or the like, and without the likelihood of the web becoming detached.

According to the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, a clip 2' is formed as before with inner and outer leaves 4' and 6', and a hook 12' is provided on the longitudinal edge of the inner leaf 4'. Said clip functions in the manner of the clip 2 and the outer leaf thereof is provided with a curved lip 10'.

As will be observed in Fig. 4, the lip 10, which may be of any form, curvature, or dimension, tends to press the web against the tubular membenand enhances securement of the web in the clip.

It may be desired in some cases to provide the hooks of the clips with projections 18, such as shown in Fig. 5. Also, to enhance the gripping and clamping action of the clip on the web, it may be desired to provide projections 20 and indentations 22 on the inner and outer leaves of 4 and 6 of the clip.

The clip may be formed with as many hooks as may be desired and will be arranged so that, when connected with the tubular member, there will be a wedging action of the hook and edge of the slot in which the hook is inserted.

The hook may take various forms and will be such that the Weight or pressure on the web will enhance the wedging action of the hook and side of the slot, which is desirable.

With strips of webbing cut to the proper length, and with opposite ends thereof gripped in clips, opposite tubular members may be temporarily positioned by suitable means for inserting the hooks of clips in the slots of the tubes and thereafter the tubes may be positioned permanently so that the webbing extends-therebetween in a taut supporting condition.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the spirit and, scope of the invention, and it is desired to be limited, if at all, by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing disclosure of the presently preferred form of the invention.

I claim:

A device for connecting the end of a strip of webbing to a slotted tubular frame member of an articie of furni ture comprising, an elongated relatively stiff resilient metal clip bent longitudinally on a median line intermediate its opposed longitudinal side edges to form an elongated U in cross section and having resilient, spaced inner and outer leaves capable of receiving and gripping therebetween the end of a strip of webbing, the outer longitudinal edge of the outer leaf extending outwardly beyond I and curving inwardly toward the longitudinal edge of the inner leaf to form a lip for impinging and gripping the webbing, the inner leaf having a generally rectangular hook struck up therefrom centrally thereof for insertion in the tubular member to which the webbing is to be connected and extending angularly outwardly away from the longitudinal outer edges of the leaves toward the line of curvature of the leaves, both the inner and outer leaves being concave in transverse cross section, the inner leaf being adapted to embrace the tubular member to which the end of a strip is to be connected with the generally rectangular hook in the slot thereof whereby a strip of webbing having its end clamped between the concave inner and outer leaves may be brought outwardly there from around the inwardly extending outer longitudinal lip of the outer leaf in the direction of strain on the strip over the outer leaf so as to be doubled thereby and extend around the tubular member in the direction of the hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,520,739 Zetlitz Dec. 30, 1924 1,903,469 Meader Apr. 11. 1933 2,817,392 Thomas n. Dec. 24, 1957 2,832,399 Varkala Apr. 29, 1958 2,845,671 Fisher et al. Aug. 5, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 124,008 Australia t Apr. 11, 1947 

